Obama’s Iran Policy, Explained

Many, including us, have criticized John Kerry and other members of the Obama administration for praising effusively Iran’s treatment of captured U.S. sailors. We and many others have pointed out that, far from meriting praise and thanks, Iran’s humiliation of the captured sailors, including filming videos of them in submissive postures and forcing one of the sailors to apologize for intruding on Iranian waters, along with forcing the lone female crew member to comply with Sharia law by wearing a headscarf, was not only offensive but violated the Geneva Conventions.

Despite these criticisms, the administration has not revoked its praise and thanks to the mullahs. Instead, it has mostly fallen silent. However, in today’s press briefing by State Department spokesman John Kirby, we did learn why the administration has not charged Iran with violation of the Geneva accords:

QUESTION: Did you get an answer to the question that I – I think you had said you would take on whether L regards the Geneva Conventions and – as applying to the U.S. soldiers that were in – the U.S. sailors, excuse me, that were in Iranian custody?

MR KIRBY: Yeah, I – my – what – my comments yesterday still stand.

QUESTION: So in other words, you’re not at war, therefore they’re not prisoners of war, therefore Geneva Conventions don’t apply?

MR KIRBY: We’re not in armed conflict with Iran, and there’s been no legal determination to that effect. So my comments still stand.

Got that? If we were at war with Iran, their treatment of our sailors would violate the Geneva Conventions. However, since we are NOT at war with Iran, the Iranians are free to abuse our military personnel at will, and, far from seeking redress, we are grateful to them. That is, folks, the officially stated position of the Obama administration, hard as it may be to believe.

Over the years, we have expressed harsh views of Barack Obama’s foreign policies. But not, I am afraid, harsh enough. Michael Ramirez describes Obama’s Iran policy graphically. Click to enlarge: